High pressure was ridging across northern Florida keeping east to southeast winds in place across the local area. An afternoon sea breeze developed and combined with the east coast sea breeze to form several severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds around the Tampa Bay area in the early evening hours.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS TBW wrote it up.
High pressure was ridging across northern Florida keeping east to southeast winds in place across the local area. An afternoon sea breeze developed and combined with the east coast sea breeze to form several severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds around the Tampa Bay area in the early evening hours.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 6, 12:30 PM EST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 130 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT - TUESDAY)...UPPER LEVEL TROUGH REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE EASTERN STATES AND THE EASTERN GULF WATERS WITH A COUPLE OF SHORT WAVE TROUGHS PASSING OVER THE AREA TODAY AND ON MONDAY. MEANWHILE...AT THE SURFACE A RIDGE AXIS OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA WILL SLOWLY PUSH NORTH...THEN LINGER OVER NORTHERN FLORIDA THROUGH MONDAY. THESE FEATURES WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE WEAK UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY EACH DAY AS ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE. THE RIDGE WILL KEEP SURFACE WINDS LIGHT ENOUGH FOR SEA BREEZE CIRCULATIONS TO FORM AND INTERACT WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED FEATURES IN ORDER TO BRING SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON HOURS THROUGH MONDAY. IN GENERAL...FOR THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING EXPECT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP NEAR THE COAST...THEN PUSHING INLAND WITH THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE. WILL CARRY 30 TO 20 POPS OVERNIGHT WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MIDNIGHT...THEN EXTEND ISOLATED/20 PERCENT THROUGH 12Z MONDAY AS DEPICTED BY LATEST MODEL DATA. SIMILAR SCENARIO FOR MONDAY EXCEPT FOR BETTER CHANCES OF RAIN OVER THE INTERIOR WHERE INCREASING EASTERLY FLOW WILL BRING ADDITIONAL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. ON TUESDAY...THE SURFACE FLOW BECOMES MORE SOUTHEASTERLY WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE FROM PUSHING INLAND. MODEL SOUNDINGS SUGGEST PW VALUES OF 2 INCHES OR MAYBE HIGHER ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON...WHICH JUSTIFIES KEEPING AT LEAST 50 POPS IN THE FORECAST. TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN NEAR OR AT NORMALS THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. && .LONG TERM (TUESDAY NIGHT - SUNDAY)...UPPER RIDGE BUILDING IN OVER THE PENINSULA WITH DRIER AIR (PWS DECREASING INTO THE 1.4-1.6 RANGE) AND INCREASED SUBSIDENCE WILL LOWER CHANCES FOR DIURNAL SEA BREEZE DRIVEN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY (POPS 30% AT BEST) AS THE SURFACE RIDGE RIDGE AXIS MEANDERS ABOUT THE CENTRAL PENINSULA. THE UPPER RIDGE WILL RETROGRADE WEST TO THE NORTH-CENTRAL GULF REGION LATE FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AS THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS PERSISTS ACROSS THE CENTRAL PENINSULA. AS THE UPPER RIDGE MOVES WEST MOISTURE LEVELS WILL SLOWLY INCREASE (PWS INCREASING BACK TOWARD 2) ACROSS THE REGION. THIS INCREASING MOISTURE COUPLED WITH WEAK UPPER LEVEL ENERGY ROTATING AROUND THE UPPER RIDGE WILL INCREASE CHANCES FOR DIURNAL SEA BREEZE DRIVEN SHOWERS AND STORMS (POPS INCREASING TO 40%) DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. TEMPERATURES WILL RUN A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY BEFORE RETURNING TO NEAR NORMAL ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...HAVE DEPICTED TEMPO MVFR/IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS UP TO 25 KNOTS AT ALL TERMINAL SITES THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS AS SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVE ACROSS THE REGION. VFR CONDITIONS WILL RETURN TO ALL SITES MID/LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WIND DOWN WITH SCT/ BKN MID AND HIGH CLOUDS AOA 12KFT LINGERING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. TEMPO MVFR/IFR CIGS/VSBYS AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS UP TO 25 KNOTS WILL AGAIN DEVELOP AT ALL SITES MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY EVENING AS SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS REDEVELOP OVER THE REGION. && .MARINE...MAIN CONCERN FOR MARINE HAZARDS IS THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS WHICH WILL BRING BRIEF PERIODS OF ROUGH SEAS AND GUSTY WINDS...ALONG WITH DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. A RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL WATERS WILL LIFT FURTHER NORTH WITH STRENGTHENING SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THE RIDGE AXIS SAGS BACK SOUTH THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. && .FIRE WEATHER...NO CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 74 89 76 90 / 30 50 30 50 FMY 73 91 75 91 / 30 60 30 50 GIF 72 91 74 91 / 30 60 30 50 SRQ 73 89 75 90 / 30 50 30 50 BKV 70 90 72 91 / 30 50 30 50 SPG 76 88 78 89 / 30 50 30 50 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GULF WATERS...NONE. && SHORT TERM...AR LONG TERM/AVIATION...JCM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 437 AM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008 FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-062045- LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK- MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DE SOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE- 437 AM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM LATE THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING. A FEW OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH SMALL HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS POSSIBLE. MOVEMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY LIMITED...ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE A SLOW DRIFT TO THE NORTHWEST OR NORTH. WHEN SKIES DARKEN...MOVE INDOORS. IF THERE IS TIME...UNPLUG APPLIANCES AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. WAIT UNTIL THE STORM ENDS BEFORE USING THE TELEPHONE OR RUNNING WATER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... ISOLATED MORNING THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME SCATTERED IN THE AFTERNOONS THEN LINGER INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE MAIN HAZARDS WITH STRONGER STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER AND SELF ACTIVATE IF NEEDED. RKR
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 150 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008 FLZ051-061830- HILLSBOROUGH- 150 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY... THUNDERSTORM...NEARLY STATIONARY...WILL AFFECT THE MENTIONED AREA INCLUDING WEST PARK...CARROLLWOOD...TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND TEMPLE TERRACE...UNTIL 230 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY RAIN...SLOW DOWN. ALWAYS LEAVE A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER VEHICLES. WHEN USING WIPERS...TURN ON HEADLIGHTS. AVOID DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES THAT COULD HIDE POTHOLES OR CAUSE HYDROPLANING. REYNES
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 322 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008 FLZ061-062000- DE SOTO- 322 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHERN DESOTO COUNTY... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES A THUNDERSTORM... MOVING WEST AT 15 MPH...WILL AFFECT RURAL NORTHERN DESOTO COUNTY NORTHEAST OF ARCADIA...UNTIL 400 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. PRC
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 hail, 2 heavy rain, 2 lightning, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
FHP reported that Interstate 275 at Exit 42, Howard-Armenia, was blocked by 3 feet of water for an hour.
Nickel size hail was reported at Exit 41C on Interstate 275 in Tampa.
Quarter size hail was reported along West Kennedy Boulevard near Henderson Boulevard.
Golf ball size hail was reported at the intersection of West Cypress Street and North Bradford Avenue.
Nickel size hail was reported near Town 'N' Country.
Lightning struck a gas line which sparked a smoldering fire behind a stove in an apartment on the 3300 block of West De Leon Street.
Lightning struck an apartment building on the 6300 block of South Mac Dill Avenue and started a fire which heavily damaged two units. Water used to put out the fire damaged another two units.
A spotter measured a wind gust over 60 MPH near Tropicana Field with a hand-held anemometer.
A tree was blown down and blocked the road on Fourth Street North near Sixth Avenue.
A police cruiser was stuck in deep water at the intersection of Fourth Avenue South and First Street.
Penny size hail was reported along County Line Road west of the Suncoast Parkway.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, July 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 117280, 112620, 112634, 112635, 112639, 117323, 117331, 112643, 117297, 117286, 112640.